7am arrives far too soon and it really is significant effort to drag myself out of bed. Luckily, I had made to right decision in packing my stuff the night before, so I don't have to mess around this morning. I grab my stuff and head out. I'll get food and stuff when I get to HuaShan. I get out of the hostel by 7.20 and I have arranged to meet the Swedes just before 8 at the train station. I arrive just about 8 and the place is bedlam, people everywhere, but no s...

Had a good nap today, but need to get up now as I don't have any deodorant, so i'll have to sort that now. I walk down to the two main shopping centres to see what I can get. Now, these shopping centres are set up more like House of Fraser rather than a conventional shopping centre, unfortunately they also carry massive price tags as well. I eventually find a supermarket on the bottom floor, but when I look round I can't see any deodorant at all, al sorts of cosm...

So today is the day!!! Hard sleeper day! I'm sure this will be quite the experience. So I am just relaxing in the hostel before I have to go for my train which is at 4.30, although I am going to leave at about 2 because god knows what complications I will run in to, as nothing is straightforward here. I was going to go to the art district or the Temple of Heaven this morning, but I think I would have left myself too rushed, so decided just to relax, sort out some...

I think it is time to do something on my own. Since I have got to China I have not actually been on my own at all really. I think this has been causing an issue. So today I am heading out on my own, and I am excited. I have selected the Summer Palace, that is the area of choice. It is quite far away, though still in Beijing, it involves a couple of subways and about an hour of transport. I kind of have a cough now, my sniffles have subsided and I am ready for the...

Again with going out yesterday to the market it has really taken it out of me. I'm not feeling like doing anything to exhaustive today, I think really the only other thing I want to see in Beijing is the Summer Palace and seeing as I have an extra day here I will probably just do that tomorrow. I feel as though I have been sick ever since I got to China, which has sort of held me back when it comes to doing anything. Hopefully a night in a hard sleeper will sort ...